REPORT  ON  THE  ^lUPPINE^ 

OF  THE 

Commission  on  the  Orient 

OF  THE 

Worid’s  Sunday-school  Association 

Presented  at  the  World’s  Seventh  Sunday-school  Convention, 
Zurich,  Switzerland,  July  8-15,  1913 


The  Commission  on  the  Orient,  including  Hazvaii, 
Japan,  Korea,  China  and  the  Philippines: 

Chairman  : Mr.  H.  J.  Heinz,  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 

Secretary:  Mr.  Frank  L.  Brown,  247  New  York  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  James  B.  Rodgers,  D.D.,  New  York  City. 

Rev.  James  L.  McLaughlin,  Manila,  Philippine  Islands. 

Rev.  Harry  Farmer,  Manila,  Philippine  Islands. 

Rev.  W.  Nelson  Bitton,  D.D.,  Shanghai,  China. 

Rev.  W.  H.  Lacy,  D.D.,  Shanghai,  China. 

Rev.  E.  G.  Tewksbury,  Shanghai,  China. 

Rev.  R.  E.  Chambers,  Canton,  China. 

Rev.  Kajinosuke  Ibuka,  M.A.,  D.D.,  Tokyo,  Japan. 

Rev.  H.  Kosaki,  D.D.,  Tokyo,  Japan. 

Rev.  T.  Ukai,  Tokyo,  Japan. 

Rev.  J.  G.  Dunlop,  Kanazawa,  Japan. 

Rev.  George  Heber  Jones,  D.D.,  New  York. 

Rev.  S.  A.  Moffat,  D.D.,  Pyeng  Yang,  Korea. 


The  section  of  the  Oriental  Commission  Report  herein  given  appears  (in  part) 
in  “World-Wide  Sunday-school  Work,”  the  Official  Report  of  the  World’s  Seventh 
Sunday-school  Convention,  which  contains  also  similar  sectional  reports  on  Hawaii, 
Japan,  Korea  and  China,  and  reports  of  the  Commissions  on  Continental  Europe, 
South  Africa,  India,  Latin-America,  and  Mohammedan  Lands.  The  volume  con- 
tains 664  pages,  with  70  pages  of  illustrations,  and  may  be  had  for  $1  from  the 
World’s  Sunday-school  Association  (American  Section),  Metropolitan  Tower, 
New  York  City.  For  information  as  to  this  and  other  pamphlet  reprints  of  the 
Commission  Reports,  apply  to  the  same  address. 

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Rev.  W.  A.  Noble,  D.D.,  Pj’eng  Yang,  Korea. 

Rev.  J.  G.  Holdcroft,  Pyeng  Yang,  Korea. 

Hon.  Wm.  R.  Castle,  Honolulu,  Hawaii. 

Mr.  Theodore  Richards,  Honolulu,  Hawaii. 

Rev.  Henry  P.  Judd,  Kahului  Maui,  Hawaii. 

Rev.  J.  F.  Cowan,  Kohala,  Hawaii. 

Rev.  Floyd  W.  Tomkins,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 

Rev.  H.  M.  Hamill,  D.D.,  Nashville,  Tennessee. 

Rev.  Dillon  Bronson,  D.D.,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Hon.  Samuel  B.  Capen,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Rev.  Fred  P.  Haggard,  D.D.,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Rev.  J.  Ross  Stevenson,  D.D.,  Baltimore,  Maryland. 

In  that  part  of  the  Orient  represented  in  the  report  of  this  com- 
mission, namely,  Hawaii,  Japan,  Korea,  Philippines,  China,  we  have 
an  aggregate  population  of  500,000,000,  one  third  of  the  human  race. 
Against  the  mass  we  place  the  Bible  school  membership  of  these  coun- 
tries— 500,000.  But  in  doing  so  we  do  not  forget  David  and  Goliath 
and  the  pebbles  of  God’s  word,  nor  Gideon  and  his  band,  nor  the 
great  promise  that  “one  shall  chase  a thousand,”  the  exact  propor- 
tions of  this  contrast,  and  as  we  recall  that  “two  shall  put  ten  thou- 
sand to  flight,”  we  thank  God  for  the  margin  and  move  on. 

In  the  Orient  we  are  standing  at  the  most  marvelous  moment  in 
Christian  history.  The  time-worn  religions  of  these  countries  are 
crumbling.  They  are  not  sufficient  for  the  modern  life.  They  do  not 
relate  morality  and  religion.  The  light  of  education  is  dissolving  the 
awful  shadows  of  superstitions  that  have  for  centuries  blighted  the 
individual  and  the  home.  The  educated  young  people  of  these  countries, 
the  hope  of  the  future,  are  refusing  en  masse  the  claims  of  the 
old  religions  and  stand  facing  the  new  day  without  any  religion  ex- 
cept as  they  have  known  Christ.  The  educators  and  national  leaders 
are  facing  the  alternative  of  constructing  nations  without  a foundation 
in  moral  or  religious  character,  or  to  build  upon  Christ.  The  priest- 
hood of  the  old  religions,  affrighted  by  their  loss  of  grip,  are  making 
futile  efforts  to  retrieve  lost  ground,  and  by  feeble  imitations  of  Chris- 
tian methods  are  seeking  to  galvanize  the  corpse  into  life. 

The  solemn  question  comes  to  this  generation.  Shall  we  allow  this 
wonderful  moment  when  the  steel  is  in  the  making,  when  the  great 
purpose  of  the  coming  and  the  death  of  Christ  can  be  fulfilled  to 
these  people,  to  pass  by,  never  to  be  regained?  Or  shall  we  count 
ourselves  the  trustees  of  the  Cross  for  this  generation  and  legislate 


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and  give  of  life  and  means  and  prayer  to  save  a race?  If  we  fail  to 
do  this  we  have  robbed  the  people  of  their  inheritance. 

The  problems  of  the  Orient  are  at  once  the  most  stupendous  and 
fascinating  in  the  world’s  thinking;  stupendous  because  of  the  enor- 
mous populations  involved;  fascinating  because  dealing  with  ancient 
civilizations  at  the  most  strategic  moment  in  all  their  age  long  history. 
The  impact  of  the  West,  and  a Christian  West,  is  swaying  this  mass 
of  humanity  toward  Christ.  Eager  hands  are  held  out  toward  the 
Christian  leadership  of  the  world  asking  for  help  adequate  to  the 
great  need  for  uplift.  Undismayed  by  the  greatness  of  the  task,  with 
absolute  confidence  in  the  sufficiency  of  Christ,  the  Sunday-school 
forces  of  the  world  hold  out  to  the  myriads  of  these  countries  the 
uncorrupted  Word  of  God  as  the  Bread  of  Life  for  their  hunger — as 
fed  to  each  life  by  the  hands  of  the  living  teacher  in  the  institution 
of  the  Sunday-school,  and  the  ideals  of  that  Book  as  the  best  motives 
and  safeguards  of  the  individual,  the  home,  the  community  and  nation. 

There  have  been  Sunday-schools  in  the  Orient  from  the  advent  of 
the  first  missionary.  Bible  instruction  for  the  children  has  gone  hand 
in  hand  with  the  work  for  adults.  These  missionaries  had,  most  of 
them,  received  their  call  to  service  and  first  training  in  the  Book  while 
in  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  homeland.  They  have  made  the  Sunday- 
school  an  important  part  of  the  work  of  missions. 

The  character  of  this  Sunday-school  work,  as  conducted  by  the  mis- 
sionaries, was  shaped  by  the  form  of  the  Sunday-school  at  the  time 
when  they  left  the  homeland,  and  by  the  necessities  of  the  environ- 
ment of  the  native  Sunday-school  work,  an  environment  circumscribed 
by  limited  quarters,  lack  of  lesson  material  and  quality  and  number 
of  teachers. 

The  missionary  was  frequently  the  only  teacher  and  the  Bible  lesson 
taught  to  all  ages  at  one  time,  and  the  dome  of  the  building  God’s  blue 
sky.  As  children  and  parents  were  alike  ignorant  of  the  Bible  this 
simple  plan  of  Sunday-school  work  was  eflFective. 

With  the  growth  of  the  native  church  and  the  educational  work  of 
missions  the  work  of  Bible  instruction  through  the  Sunday-school 
assumed  certain  fixed  forms  in  the  Orient. 

1.  The  Sunday-school  attached  to  the  organized  church,  more  or  less 

graded  according  to  local  conditions  and  leadership. 

2.  The  Sunday-school  composed  of  members  of  Christian  secondary 

schools  and  colleges,  and  taught  largely  by  the  teachers  of  such 
institutions. 


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3.  The  Sunday-school  composed  largely  of  scholars  in  attendance  at 

the  primary  Christian  day  schools  and  taught  usually  by  the 
day  school  teachers,  the  attendance  at  Sunday-school  a condi- 
tion often  of  membership  in  the  school.  The  Bible  is  a text- 
book in  such  schools. 

4.  Missionary  Sunday-schools  of  children  of  non-Christian  parents 

sometimes  called  “heathen”  Sunday-schools,  tliese  schools  estab- 
lished and  maintained  by  churches  or  secondary  schools  and  col- 
leges, and  taught  by  the  students  in  such  institutions  or  by 
missionaries. 

Several  outstanding  needs  of  the  field  were  clearly  formulated  when 
the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association,  following  the  presentation  of 
the  subject  at  the  Toronto  Convention  eight  years  ago,  began  to  plan 
for  the  Orient. 

1.  Such  organization  of  the  field  as  should  bring  together  the  mis- 

sionaries and  native  workers  in  interdenominational  coopera- 
tive effort  in  order  to  bring  to  bear  the  most  help  possible  for 
the  local  Sunday-school  and  the  local  Sunday-school  worker. 

2.  The  development  of  an  adequate  literature  for  the  field. 

3.  The  training  of  a Sunday-school  leadership  through  the  theo- 

logical seminary  and  Christian  educational  institutions  and 
churches. 

4.  The  need  of  a vision  of  the  Sunday-school  as  the  Bible  teaching 

service  for  the  entire  church  and  community  as  the  surest  and 
sanest  method  for  the  evangelization  and  training  of  the  Orient. 

In  1906  the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association,  in  cooperation  with 
the  missionary  organizations,  sent  a commissioner  to  Hawaii,  Japan, 
Korea  and  China  to  ascertain  conditions  and  assist  in  developing  these 
objects,  namely,  organization,  literature,  leadership,  vision.  In  1911  a 
commissioner  visited  these  fields  and  the  Philippines.  Organization  was 
effected,  institutes  held,  methods  suggested,  exhibits  shown,  inspira- 
tion given,  and  the  missionaries  and  native  workers  felt  the  heart- 
beat and  hand-clasp  of  the  organized  Sunday-school  work  as  members 
of  the  world’s  Sunday-school  family. 

This  vital  touch  upon  the  five  fields  represented  in  this  report  has 
been  increased  by  the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association  through  the 
furnishing  of  secretaries,  by  the  development  of  headquarters  at  centers, 
through  correspondence  and  literature. 

In  the  development  of  the  work  of  Commission  Xo.  4 on  the  Con- 
ditions, Needs  and  Opportunity  of  Sunday-school  work  in  the  Orient 
the  following  plans  have  been  employed : 


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1.  The  best  expert  knowledge  was  obtained  from  secretaries  of  mis- 

sion boards  conversant  with  the  field,  from  laymen  and  others 
who  had  visited  these  countries,  and  from  missionaries  from 
the  fields  who  were  on  furlough  in  America. 

2.  An  all-day  conference  was  called  by  the  chairman  in  Philadel- 

phia of  those  most  closely  informed  as  to  actual  conditions, 
such  as  Bishop  Harris,  of  Japan  and  Korea;  Dr.  George  Heber 
Jones  of  Korea;  Dr.  Gamewell  of  China,  and  Rev.  James 
McLaughlin  of  the  Philippines.  Some  who  could  not  be  pres- 
ent, such  as  Bishop  Bashford  of  China,  and  Bishop  Oldham 
of  the  Philippines,  sent  valuable  communications. 

3.  Commissions  related  to  the  General  Commission  were  formed  in 

each  of  the  five  fields  under  investigation,  and  consisted  of 
some  of  the  best  Sunday-school  leadership  in  each  country. 
These  commissions  developed  information  by  means  of  ques- 
tionnaires sent  out  to  native  workers  in  the  language  of  each 
field,  covering  so  far  as  possible  every  Sunday-school  and  the 
key  workers  in  these  countries.  Each  of  these  local  commis- 
sions has  made  its  own  report  to  the  General  Commission. 

4.  Questionnaires  were  sent  to  the  key  missionaries  in  the  five 

countries. 

5.  Members  of  the  Commission  used  the  opportunity  of  the  recent 

commission  tour  to  the  Orient  to  confer  with  leaders  and  ob- 
serve conditions. 

The  result  of  these  investigations,  conferences,  reports  and  obser- 
vations as  related  to  each  field  is  represented  herewith  with  specific 
recommendations  for  the  guidance  of  those  interested  in  these  coun- 
tries. Each  field  has  its  peculiar  conditions  and  needs  growing  out  of 
the  relation  of  religious  education  to  the  customs  of  the  people,  prog- 
ress in  general  education,  attitude  of  the  authorities,  and  vitality  of 
other  religions. 

In  general,  it  may  be  stated  concerning  these  countries  of  the  Orient: 

1.  That  the  Sunday-school  is  the  line  of  least  resistance  in  the 

progress  of  the  kingdom. 

2.  The  opportunity  of  great  Sunday-school  expansion  is  limited  only 

by  lack  of  men,  means  and  methods. 

3.  The  Sunday-school  is  the  natural  link  in  the  reaching  of  the  home. 

The  love  of  the  Oriental  for  children  is  God’s  open  way. 

4.  The  Sunday-school  is  absolutely  needed  as  a feeder  for  the 

church,  as  a source  of  supply  of  material  for  church  educational 
institutions  and  as  the  opportunity  of  training  a leadership  and 
membership  grounded  on  the  Word  of  God  from  their  youth. 


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THE  PHILIPPINES 

As  one  of  the  newest  fields  for  missionary  endeavor  the  Sunday- 
school  work  of  the  Philippines  has  had  the  advantage  of  missionaries 
who  have  had  their  training  in  America  in  the  modern  Sunday-school, 
and  who  have  brought  to  the  field  the  ideals  and  plans  and  enthusiasm 
of  the  work  as  they  saw  it,  and  who  have  incorporated  these  plans  as 
fast  as  the  developing  Philippine  church  could  absorb  them.  The  Sun- 
day-school leadership  of  the  islands  has  been  intelligent  and  aggressive. 
The  trying  condition  of  the  climate  has  not  lessened  the  enthusiasm  of 
the  devoted  workers.  Consequently  the  islands  were  fertile  soil  to 
which  to  bring  the  touch  of  the  organized  Sunday-school  work,  and 
when  a commissioner  from  the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association 
visited  the  Philippines  two  years  ago  both  natives  and  missionaries 
united  in  the  suggested  organization  of  the  Philippine  Islands  Sunday- 
school  Union,  with  headquarters  at  Manila,  electing  a Filipino  pastor 
as  president,  and  as  a working  team  the  Rev.  J.  L.  McLaughlin,  as 
secretary,  and  the  Rev.  Harry  Farmer  as  educational  chairman — two  of 
the  choicest  workers  to  be  found  in  any  continent.  Governor  Forbes 
and  Bishop  Brent  cooperated  by  addresses  at  the  first  Sunday-school 
convention,  when  practically  every  province  was  represented,  and  2,000 
were  present  at  the  organization  meeting.  The  World’s  Association 
assumed  the  headquarters  expenses  but  no  salary  expenses,  these  splen- 
did workers  giving  all  they  could  of  their  time  without  compensation. 

In  the  two  years  elapsing  the  organization  has  been  developed,  insti- 
tutes and  conventions  held,  methods  suggested,  and  the  work  inspired. 
Some  40,000  buttons  of  the  Sunday-school  Union  were  disposed  of  in  a 
short  time  by  Mr.  McLaughlin,  in  a Sunday-school  campaign. 

In  January  of  this  year  Rev.  A.  M.  Williams  arrived  at  Manila  as 
a special  delegate,  representing  Commission  No.  4 of  the  World’s  Sun- 
day-school Association.  Three  conventions  and  institutes  were  held 
during  his  visit:  at  Manila,  at  Candon  in  Iloco,  Sur  Province,  and  one 
at  Iloilo  in  the  island  of  Panay.  Model  Sunday-school  sessions  were 
held.  As  300  children  at  one  of  these  sessions  sang  one  of  their  stirring 
hymns  a visitor  remarked : “That  is  what  I think  heaven  will  be  like.’’ 
The  question  box  method  was  employed  and  the  people  were  eager  to 
learn  everything  possible  on  the  fundamentals  of  Sunday-school  work. 

With  few  exceptions  denominational  cooperation  is  the  rule  in  the 
Sunday-school  work  here,  as  in  other  phases  of  the  evangelical  move- 
ment. It  is  easier  to  secure,  in  view  of  the  wise  provision  and  fra- 
ternal spirit  which  caused  those  denominations,  which  cooperate  in 
Sunday-school  work,  to  make  a division  of  territory  that  gives  well 


7 


nigh  an  exclusive  field  to  a denomination.  In  the  organization  of  the 
Sunday-school  Union  here  missionaries  and  natives  welcome  the  Union 
as  a platform  where  they  could  all  federate  in  the  interest  of  the  child 
and  Bible  study.  The  same  teacher-training  text-book  (Hurlbut)  is 
translated  into  the  various  dialects  and  pushed  by  the  several  missions. 
The  Presbyterians,  Methodists,  United  Brethren  and  Baptists  have  their 
native  ministry  trained  in  a union  theological  seminary  at  Manila. 

The  United  States  in  many  respects  is  producing  in  the  Philippines 
advanced  types  in  the  extent  and  quality  of  its  educational  work  in 
sanitation  and  hospitals  and  in  civil  affairs.  The  laxity  permitted  in 
Sabbath  observance  has  not  been  to  the  Government’s  credit,  and 
stirred  up  a ringing  protest  at  the  last  Sunday-school  convention. 

In  its  Sunday-school  work  the  Philippine  Islands  must  produce  an 
advanced  type  that  shall  favorably  influence  the  Malay  people  and 
other  nations  of  the  Orient.  Recommendations  looking  to  this  result 
will  appear  later.  The  conditions  and  needs  of  the  work  are  herewith 
presented : 


I.  Statistical  Sunday-school  Membership 


Number  of 

Officials 

Sunday- 

and 

schools 

Teachers 

Scholars 

T otal 

Presbyterian  

133 

317 

8,705 

9,021 

Baptist  

64 

136 

2,360 

2,496 

United  Brethren  . . . 

27 

169 

1,151 

1,320 

Disciples  

61 

119 

2.170 

2,289 

Methodists  

199 

1,370 

10,230 

11,600 

Special  

9 

24 

437 

461 

493 

2,135 

25,053 

27, mi 

Practically  all  of  these  schools  are  those  attached  to  churches.  In 

the  newer  mission  territory,  such  as  Korea  and  the  Philippines,  the 
natural  step  is  to  first  develop  the  church  through  preaching  to  the 
adults,  the  Sunday-school  following  the  organization  of  the  church. 
And  in  these  fields  the  church  has  to  be  awakened  to  the  duty  of 
training  the  child  for  the  kingdom,  and  to  the  value  of  right  formation 
as  against  reformation. 

The  cradle  roll  has  taken  good  root  in  the  Philippines  and  the  home 
department  has  also  a beginning. 


8 


II.  Equipment 

Church  buildings  are  used  for  the  Sunday-school  session.  The  pri- 
mary class,  in  a comparatively  few  cases,  is  separated  from  the  school 
by  curtain  or  the  session  held  in  a separate  room.  One  hundred  and 
one  out  of  the  total  of  493  schools  report  use  of  the  blackboard  and 
76  have  pianos  or  organs.  Other  equipment  is  meagre  as  yet,  as  the 
work  is  new  and  appliances  applicable  to  the  native  use  have  been 
only  partially  developed. 

Cards,  Bibles,  lawn  socials,  attendance  contests,  picture  rolls  are 
among  the  plans  for  attracting  attendance  and  sustaining  interest. 

Bibles  are  in  use  most  largely  by  adults,  although  many  schools 
report  their  use  by  the  other  members.  The  good  work  of  the  Bible 
societies  in  the  Philippines  has  made  the  Bible  the  general  possession 
of  the  church. 


III.  Grading  and  Graded  Lessons 

In  a few  of  the  city  church  Sunday-schools  the  grading  is  along 
the  best  lines.  In  a number  of  schools  primary,  secondary  and  adult 
divisions  or  classes  are  the  rule.  In  the  bulk  of  the  schools  the  grad- 
ing is  still  a simple  affair  of  primary  and  main  school.  The  children, 
as  noted  above,  have  been  rather  neglected  in  the  church  program  in 
the  past  and  preference  given  to  the  adults,  and  until  recently  were 
not  in  the  Sundaj^-schools  in  sufficient  numbers  to  work  out  a well 
graded  system  as  yet,  but  this  lack  of  children  and  young  people  is 
being  remedied  by  the  methods  emplo3’ed  by  Mr.  McLaughlin  and 
by  the  new  emphasis  on  the  child.  With  the  development  of  a teach- 
ing leadership,  the  proper  instruction  of  Filipino  pastors  as  to  the 
Sunday-school,  and  the  gradual  development  of  graded  lessons  this 
question  of  grading  will  take  care  of  itself. 

We  have  said  the  gradual  introduction  of  graded  lessons,  for  it  is 
patent  that  with  a few  exceptions  in  the  cities  where  there  is  a trained 
teaching  force,  anj^  general  introduction  of  the  graded  lesson  plan  as 
known  in  America  would  be  confusing  and  harmful.  There  is  a call, 
voiced  in  several  conventions  for  a primary'  course.  The  present  helps 
are  written  largely  from  the  adult  standpoint.  A child’s  lesson  or  a 
weekly  paper,  including  the  lesson,  is  imperative. 

By  the  present  plan  the  Literature  Committee  of  the  Philippine 
Islands  Sunday-school  Union,  appointed  by  the  Annual  Convention, 
prepares  the  lesson  comments  in  English,  using  the  International  Uni- 
form Lessons  of  the  year  previous,  and  furnishes  the  same  to  the 
various  missions  who  arrange  for  publication  of  the  helps  in  several 


9 


different  languages.  The  lesson  helps  sent  out  by  the  Department  of 
Waste  Material  of  the  World’s  Association  is  thus  available  and  help- 
ful here. 

In  the  Southern  Islands  both  Baptist  and  Presbyterian  missions  use 
lessons  prepared  by  the  missions.  The  International  lessons  cannot  be 
used  there  extensively,  as  they  do  not  have  the  whole  Bible  in  the 
Visayan. 

The  development  of  an  adequate  literature  is  one  of  the  urgent 
needs  presented  later. 

As  nearly  one-third  of  those  of  school  age  are  in  the  public  schools 
of  the  Islands  and  learning  English,  much  of  the  lesson  and  other 
literature  in  English  will  be  available  in  the  course  of  time  to  Sun- 
day-school pupils. 

IV.  Sunday-school  Session  and  Program 

The  hour  for  the  Sunday-school  session  is  usually  8 or  9 o’clock  in 
the  morning,  the  length  of  session  varying  from  1 to  V/i  hours.  The 
program  features  are  usually  taken  from  the  lesson  quarterly  and 
include  song,  responsive  reading,  prayer  and  the  Lord’s  Prayer,  musical 
specialties  such  as  solo,  violin,  quartet  or  chorus,  varying  the  pro- 
gram in  some  places.  The  review  plan  is  employed,  and  there  is 
considerable  Scripture  memory  work,  including  the  Golden  Texts  and 
special  drills,  such  as  Scripture  response  to  roll  call.  Quarterly  reviews 
are  conducted  in  some  schools. 

Special  days  are  practically  universal  in  their  use,  especially  Easter 
and  Christmas.  Decision  Day  is  observed  in  some  schools.  The  cor- 
net and  Sunday-school  orchestra  is  sometimes  employed.  The  Filipinos 
are  a music-loving  people,  they  sing  well  and  play  in  the  neighborhood 
bands  with  great  skill. 

V.  The  Pastor  and  his  Work 

The  principal  place  of  training  the  pastors  is  the  Union  Theological 
Seminary,  Manila.  Here  all  future  pastors  are  given  a course  in  the 
Sunday-school  and  religious  pedagogy,  Hurlbut’s  book  being  used  as 
a basis  for  the  work.  The  young  men  in  the  Seminary,  in  addition 
to  their  courses  in  methods  of  Sunday-school  work,  have  a model 
Sunday-school  class  every  Friday  afternoon.  One  young  man  teaches 
the  lesson  before  the  class  each  week.  This  year  each  young  man 
taught  two  lessons  during  the  course.  Many  of  the  students  have 
practice  in  superintending  open  air  Sunday-schools  under  the  super- 
vision of  one  of  the  missionaries. 


10 


The  pastors  are  usually  found  at  the  Sunday-school  session  acting 
as  superintendents  when  necessary  or  as  teachers.  In  some  cases 
the  pastor  leads  a teachers’  meeting  but  this  seems  the  exception. 

VI.  Superintendents 

About  one-half  of  the  schools  are  superintended  by  church  mem- 
bers. The  pastors  superintend  in  some  70  of  the  schools  and  the  bal- 
ance of  the  schools  use  missionaries,  Bible  women  and  helpers.  Outside 
of  the  conventions  and  institutes  no  training  of  this  important  force 
for  the  work  of  Sunday-school  guidance  has  been  attempted.  As 
many  of  these  laymen  and  pastors  have  not  had  a public  school  edu- 
cation, as  such  education  only  came  in  with  the  United  States  occupa- 
tion of  the  Philippines,  the  full  training  course  is  not  practicable,  but 
a series  of  simple,  practical  leaflets  should  be  issued  on  a weekly 
correspondence  plan  for  the  general  education  of  these  leaders  in 
vision  and  method. 

From  the  Christian  educational  institutions  a Sunday-school  leader- 
ship is  being  gradually  developed  for  the  work  of  the  superintendent. 

VII.  Teachers 

The  teaching  force  is  drawn  almost  entirely  from  the  church  mem- 
bership. Young  men  and  young  women  from  the  public  schools  and 
Christian  schools  are  entering  heartily  into  this  service. 

As  stated,  Hurlbut’s  book  has  been  translated  into  a number  of 
dialects  and  is  used  as  a basis  of  training  in  a number  of  educational 
institutions,  such  as  the  large  Silliman  Institute  at  Dumaguete,  and 
the  Ellinwood  Girls’  School,  and  the  Deaconess  Training  Schools.  At 
the  Ellinwood  School  they  have  regular  courses  in  Sunday-school  work 
and  methods  of  teaching  and  special  preparation  for  teaching  the  next 
Sunday’s  lesson  each  Friday  afternoon.  Last  year  they  taught  in 
seven  morning  open  air  Sunday-schools.  The  graduates  of  these 
splendid  schools  are  spread  over  the  province  as  centers  of  Sunda)’- 
school  enthusiasm  and  progress.  They  organize  new  schools  and  put 
new  energy  into  the  old  schools. 

The  two  days  to  two  weeks’  Bible  institute,  held  in  a number  of  the 
provinces,  is  another  very  practical  training  plan.  At  these  institutes 
for  pastors,  local  preachers,  exhorters,  superintendents  and  teachers  a 
course  in  the  preparation  and  teaching  of  Sunday-school  lessons  is 
always  given,  a model  Sunday-school  is  held  and  the  children  arc 
gathered  in  after  school  each  day  to  give  the  delegates  opportunity 


11 


to  practice  teaching.  Missionaries  ordinarily  supervise  these  institutes. 
Note  books  are  used  and  examinations  held.  In  one  institute  for  girls 
two  hours  daily  out  of  a month’s  program  is  given  to  Sunday-school 
subjects. 

The  organization  of  classes  for  teacher-training  in  the  local  churches, 
especially  at  provincial  centers  where  high  school  and  college  young 
people  are  gathered,  needs  development  under  the  right  guidance. 
There  is  no  more  strategic  thing  in  the  whole  work  than  to  enlist  this 
growing  body  of  educated  young  people  for  Christian  service,  and  the 
fruit  of  this  character  of  work  alone  would  be  such  as  to  warrant  the 
employment  of  an  expert  for  his  entire  time. 

An  up-to-date  teachers’  lilirary  is  among  the  urgent  needs  in  the 
training  of  a leadership. 


VIII.  Scholars 

The  visitation  of  scholars’  homes  by  teachers  is  done  to  a limited 
extent  only.  The  scholars’  social  life  is  met  partially  through  picnics 
and  a Junior  society.  The  recognition  of  birthdays  is  just  getting  a 
start.  The  athletic  life  is  touched  hardly  at  all.  It  should  be  noted, 
however,  that  the  public  schools  are  giving  special  attention  to  this, 
and  to  American  baseball,  which  is  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  sports 
of  the  Islands.  Organized  athletics  under  the  public  school  or  Sun- 
day-school management  is  a strong  weapon  in  killing  off  cock-fight- 
ing and  gambling,  which  had  grown  up  under  Spanish  rule,  and  which 
has  been  the  bane  of  the  Philippines. 

Sunday-school  papers  from  .-Kmerica,  and  largelj'  from  the  Waste 
Material  Department  of  the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association,  arc 
used  extensively  for  the  scholars.  What  is  needed,  however,  are  Sun- 
day-school papers  with  material  with  a Filipino  background  for  the 
educated  boys  and  girls. 

Lines  of  service  are  undertaken  by  scholars  to  a small  extent,  such 
as  distribution  of  tracts,  holding  street  meetings,  helping  pagan  schools, 
visitation  of  sick,  personal  invitation  to  services. 

IX.  The  Homes 

From  the  fact  that  75  per  cent,  of  the  scholars  come  from  Chris- 
tian homes  cooperation  with  the  Sunday-school  is  a helpful  factor  in 
the  Philippines. 

Hindrances  to  attendance  come  from  the  observance  of  Sunday  as 
a market  day,  and  to  an  extent  from  Sunday  baseball.  The  use  of 
the  Sabbath  as  a work  day  in  some  cases  is  a difficultj'. 


12 


The  largest  difficulty,  however,  comes  from  the  strong  opposition  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  here  to  Bible  teaching.  This  statement 
comes  from  many  workers,  and  in  unequivocal  terms  such  as:  “The 
Roman  Catholic  Church  condemns  Bible  teaching;”  “Roman  Catholic 
leaders  fight  the  Bible;”  “Fanaticism,  prejudice  and  opposition  of 
priests ;”  “Romanists  hate  the  Protestant  Bible ;”  “Antagonism  of 
Romanism  to  the  Bible ;”  “Roman  Catholic  Church  strongly  opposes 
Bible ;”  “Opposition  to  Protestant  teaching.” 

In  many  cases  the  Sunday-school  is  found  a means  of  entrance  to 
non-Christian  homes,  and  in  not  a few  such  cases  conversions  are 
reported  as  the  direct  influence  of  the  Sunday-school  coming  through 
literature,  the  visit  of  the  teacher  or  attendance  upon  the  services. 
The  homes  are  entirely  accessible  to  visits  from  the  Sunday-school 
workers. 

The  Home  Department  or  Home  Bible  Study  on  the  I.  B.  R.  A. 
plan  is  prevailing  in  only  a small  way  as  yet.  The  Bible  societies  are 
getting  the  Bibles  into  the  homes  as  fast  as  possible,  but  instruction 
in  the  use  of  the  Bible  is  needed.  The  better  organization  of  the 
Bible  school  and  Bible  study  that  is  surely  coming  here  will  help  for- 
ward the  grip  of  the  Bible  upon  the  home. 

The  use  of  waste  material  in  the  Philippines  is  a vital  factor  in 
enlisting  attendance,  improving  interest,  and  entering  homes.  The 
words  of  commendation  of  the  material  are  many:  “Considerable 

help;”  “Excellent  effect;”  “Very  helpful;”  “Used  extensively;”  “Used 
to  some  extent  in  all  schools;”  “Use  all  we  can  obtain;”  “Need  many 
times  present  supplj’ ;”  “Always  valuable ;”  “A  great  help  to  native 
evangelist;”  “After  use  in  school  wall  charts  used  in  home  decora- 
tion ;”  “Do  not  always  apply  to  lesson,  but  are  used  as  introductory 
work  in  the  homes.” 

While  the  “Prodigal  Son”  and  “Rebecca  at  the  Well”  would  be 
much  more  attractive  as  Filipinos — yet  until  produced  in  this  dress  the 
supplies  from  the  Department  of  Waste  Material  are  doing  incalculable 
good. 

X.  Public  Attitude  toward  the  Sunday-school 

Owing  to  the  preponderance  of  Roman  Catholic  population  the 
attitude  of  the  Department  of  Education  in  the  Philippines  toward  the 
Sunday-school,  and  participation  of  the  teachers  in  religious  work  out- 
side of  school  hours  has  been  such  that  Christian  public  school  teachers 
have  not  felt  free  to  engage  in  such  work,  as  they  fear  it  will  hurt 
them  with  the  Department.  The  published  instructions  of  the  Depart- 
ment to  teachers  w'ould  seem  to  lend  color  to  this  position.  The 


13 


experiment  of  public  school  education  is  yet  too  young  in  the  Philip- 
pines to  have  developed  an  outstanding  need  of  religious  instruction 
that  shall  produce  character  to  supplement  the  secular  instruction  of 
the  schools,  but  the  lack  of  high  moral  ideals  on  the  part  of  Filipino 
young  people  is  bearing  its  usual  harvest.  The  enlightening  effect  of 
education  seems  to  be  the  severance  of  the  thousands  of  the  Filipino 
youth  from  the  demands  of  superstitious  beliefs,  and  the  Sunday- 
school  must  be  equipped  to  minister  to  the  whole  life  of  these  young 
people  by  an  adequate  vision  of  its  work  and  organization  for  its  best 
doing. 

The  opposition  of  the  many  Roman  Catholic  public-school  princi- 
pals and  teachers  to  the  Sunday-schools  in  many  cases  operates  un- 
favorably to  the  Sunday-school.  Athletic  games  have  been  organized 
by  the  teachers  during  the  Sunday-school  hours.  Teachers  not  Roman 
Catholic  have  sometimes  taken  an  unfavorable  position  to  please  the 
church. 

It  is  due  to  the  work  of  the  Sunday-school  in  an  American  country 
that  the  Sunday-school  should  be  given  an  equal  chance  with  all 
religious  enterprises  and  that  all  barriers  to  this,  direct  or  implied, 
by  educational  authorities  should  be  removed. 

XI.  Other  Religious  Systems  and  the  Sunday-school 
The  only  religious  system  actually  operating  in  the  Islands  is  the 
Roman  Catholic.  But  little  regular  religious  instruction  of  the  chil- 
dren and  young  people  is  attempted  beyond  the  Catechism  classes  and 
instruction  in  the  parochial  schools.  There  seems  to  be  no  effort  to 
imitate  the  Sunday-school  or  by  imitating  similar  schools  to  draw 
children  away  from  the  Sunday-schools. 

XII.  The  Church  and  the  Sunday-school 
In  the  Philippines  the  establishing  of  the  church,  as  before  noted, 
has  preceded  the  Sunday-school.  The  opportunities  however  for  estab- 
lishing Sunday-schools  in  new  fields  in  city  and  country  are  limited  only 
by  workers  and  means.  There  is  general  agreement  on  the  part  of 
experienced  workers  in  this  field  that  the  outlook  for  the  physical 
and  numerical  extension  of  the  Sunday-school  is  very  bright.  This 
opportunity  is  characterized  as  “Large,  no  limit,”  “Great,”  “Very  good,” 
“May  be  multiplied  many  times,”  “Excellent,”  “Unlimited,”  “Splendid,” 
“Good.”  And  there  is  general  agreement  as  to  the  great  importance 
of  the  Sunday-school  in  relation  to  the  church  as  a place  for  the 
enlistment  and  training  of  workers  and  as  a feeder  to  the  church. 


14 


XIII.  Sunday-school  Support 

Expenses  of  the  church  Sunday-schools  here  are  covered  by  the 
offerings.  Mission  Sunday-schools  receive  help  from  mission  funds. 

Some  of  the  mission  boards  provide  help  for  the  translation  of 
Sunday-school  literature,  principally  for  Sunday-school  lesson  transla- 
tion work. 

Practically  no  provision  is  made  by  mission  boards  for  Sunday- 
school  equipment  or  supplies  outside  of  the  lessons.  As  a consequence 
the  Sunday-schools  have,  in  most  cases,  gone  without  adequate  equip- 
ment. And  the  missionaries  here,  as  in  other  lands,  have  gone  into 
their  own  pockets  often  for  needed  supplies  to  sustain  the  work. 

In  the  Philippines  the  missionarj-  boards  have  carried  through  no 
plans  for  the  support  of  Sunday-school  specialists.  One  or  two  boards 
are  considering  such  plans. 

Opinion  in  general  is  that  the  failure  of  the  mission  boards  to  set 
aside  adequate  sums  for  Sunday-school  development  is  a serious  draw- 
back to  Sunday-school  progress. 

There  is  agreement  that  very  much  more  could  be  done  in  increasing 
Sunday-school  attendance,  interest,  and  educational  and  evangelistic  re- 
sults in  the  Sunday-school  if  there  were  adequate  funds  and  special 
encouragement  and  supervision  of  the  work  by  denominational  or  in- 
terdenominational Sunday-school  secretaries.  One  missionary  says  the 
work  could  be  increased  75  per  cent,  with  proper  leadership. 

XIV.  General 

The  workers  of  the  Islands  are  a unit  as  to  the  strategic  value  of 
the  next  ten  years  for  a Sunday-school  advance  movement.  The 
reasons  given  by  various  people  are  interesting. 

‘‘The  Philippines  are  in  a transitional  change.”  ‘‘Romanism  is  dead 
in  many  towns.”  “Some  one  will  get  the  young  people  if  we  do  not.” 
“If  we  fail  to  do  the  work  now  atheism  and  agnosticism  will  close 
the  door  ten  years  from  now.”  “People  are  breaking  away  from  the 
old  Roman  Church  and  need  caring  for  by  the  Sunday-school.”  “Evan- 
gelical Christians  want  their  children  taught.”  “Public  schools  have 
opened  the  minds  of  the  young  people  and  dampened  prejudice." 
“These  students  would  go  to  the  Sunday-school  if  they  understood 
it.”  “Sunday-school  work  properly  conducted  appeals  strongly  to  all 
classes.”  “This  work  is  only  at  its  beginning.”  “People  here  are  just 
in  the  making.”  “Organization  needed  to  meet  Roman  Catholic  op- 
position.” “People  have  no  confidence  in  priestly  leadership.” 


15 


The  outstanding  needs  of  the  Philippines  are  thus  expressed : 
“Leadership,”  “Literature,”  “Enthusiasm,”  “More  missionaries,”  “Dis- 
trict conventions  and  institutes  with  secretary  to  push  work,”  “Better 
organization  and  equipment,”  “Definite  plans  persistently  executed,” 
“Right  kind  of  a man  to  organize  and  equip.” 

In  such  a Sunday-school  advance  as  is  needed  large  emphasis  is  placed 
by  the  workers  upon  Sunday-school  conventions  and  institutes,  model 
Sunday-schools  and  model  class  sessions  at  such  gatherings,  exhibit  of 
suggestive  material,  improved  literature,  and  especially  the  training 
of  a native  leadership  and  the  visitation  of  Sunday-schools  by  such 
leaders. 


XV.  Recommendations 

In  response  to  the  plain  indications  of  this  report  and  to  the  resolu- 
tions of  the  last  convention  of  the  Philippine  Islands  Sunday-school 
Union,  and  endorsed  through  the  special  delegate  of  the  commission 
to  the  Islands,  the  Rev.  A.  M.  Williams,  your  commission  strongly 
recommends  action  by  the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association  and  by 
the  cooperating  denominations  as  follows : 

1.  That  the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association  be  asked  to  provide 
a general  secretary  for  the  Islands  approved  by  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  Philippine  Islands  Sunday-school  Union,  which  is  rep- 
resentative of  the  mission  interests  and  native  churches. 

2.  That  the  several  denominations  doing  work  in  the  Islands  be  asked 
to  provide  trained  native  workers  to  cooperate  with  the  general 
secretary  in  developing  the  Sunday-school  work  of  their  respective 
denominational  fields. 

3.  That  we  suggest  to  the  larger  missions  that  they  make  for  the 
next  two  years  an  appropriation  of  $500  each  and  the  smaller  missions 
$250  each  to  develop  under  proper  supervision  an  adequate  literature 
for  the  Sunday-school,  including  lesson  helps,  manuals,  orders  of 
exercise,  teachers’  library,  certificates,  and  improved  outfit  for  the 
Sunday-school.  The  literature  committee  of  the  Islands  Union  may 
be  a proper  supervising  committee  for  the  spending  of  these  funds. 


